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‘No secret’ to Leicester turnaround insists Shakespeare

Craig Shakespeare insisted he has no secret formula despite guiding Leicester to a fourth straight win.

The Foxes also finally collected their first Premier League away victory of the season with a 3-2 success at West Ham.

Riyad Mahrez, Robert Huth and Jamie Vardy – three of the main protagonists of last season’s title triumph – hit first-half goals as Leicester showed no signs of a European hangover following their impressive win over Sevilla.

And although they may have a Champions League quarter-final meeting with Atletico Madrid on their minds, Shakespeare has ensured they get their domestic affairs in order first.

“There is no secret, just hard work, endeavour and resilience, and we showed that today,” he said.

“We said once the Champions League draw was made let’s concentrate on the Premier League. It’s been put to one side, we’ve parked it.

“We knew we were coming here on the back of an awful away record and we wanted to put it right.”

Rejuvenated under Shakespeare following Claudio Ranieri’s sacking last month, the first half was once again a throwback to last season’s flying Foxes.

West Ham simply could not cope with the pace and before they knew it the hosts were 2-0 down.

In the fifth minute Mahrez swung in a cross towards Vardy and Shinji Okazaki, but both forwards missed it – as did West Ham’s defence – as the ball flew into the corner of the net.

Two minutes later, from a Leicester free-kick, Marc Albrighton clipped the ball into the box with the outside of his boot and the unmarked Huth nodded in the second.

West Ham grabbed a lifeline when Manuel Lanzini curled in a 20-yard free-kick, but Vardy restored Leicester’s two-goal lead before half-time when he pounced on the loose ball at a corner.

The Hammers pulled another back when Andy Carroll’s header was turned in by Andre Ayew with 30 minutes remaining.

But record signing Ayew squandered a glorious chance to level while Kasper Schmeichel twice kept Carroll at bay, the second with a save reminiscent of father Peter from point-blank range in stoppage time.

“That was very important, they were pivotal saves,” added Shakespeare.

“I think he’s in the best form since I’ve been here. He’s pulled out some crucial saves over the last couple of weeks.”